Yesterday the NY Times profiled Smith Street Tattoo and offered a beautiful slideshow on the shop. The essence of the feature is how tattoo collectors from around the world will travel to the Brooklyn parlour to get "New York Style tattoos," or as co-owner Bert Krak says, "tattoos that look like tattoos."

Here's a taste from the article:

Mr. Krak opened the shop in 2008 with another artist, Steve Boltz, 42.
Mr. Santoro and Eli Quinters, 35, completed their team. The four men,
who all are impressively inked themselves, work with a brotherly
camaraderie. They chat above the constant hum of the tattoo guns they
operate, which drone on like summer locusts.

Smith Street Tattoo's international reputation might stem from its
artists' frequent trips abroad. "We probably tattoo more Australians
than Americans," Alex Kapsidelis, the shop's manager, said. "I booked an
appointment for a guy from Singapore who flew here just to get
tattooed."